The Outcast Blade

As the
Byzantine and German emperors plot war against each other, Venice’s future
rests in the hands of three unwilling people:

The newly
knighted Sir Tycho. An ex-slave and trained assassin who defeated the Mamluk navy
but cannot make the woman he loves love him back. Tortured by secrets, afraid
of the daylight, he sees no reason to save a city he hates.

The
grieving Lady Giulietta. Impossibly rich, deeply spoilt. A virgin, a mother, a
widow… Both emperors want her hand for their sons in marriage. All she wants is
to retire from the poisonous world of the Venetian court to mourn her husband
in peace.

And finally
a naked, mud-strewn girl who crawls from a paupers’ grave on an island in the
Venetian lagoon and begins by killing the men who buried her.

All love
affairs are complicated at times but on this one hangs the fate of Europe’s
richest city and two empires…

'Our world turned sideways and given a twist.’ Independent.

'A
brilliantly realised tale of court intrigue... This is a splendid novel that
combines the best elements of metaphysical horror and escapist yarn.' Jonathan Wright - SFX

'You could
start the series here, but really, you shouldn’t. Try the Fallen Blade
and get immersed into this alternate Venice and those who inhabit it.' Paul
Weimer, SF Signal